Weight Gain!

I stepped on the scales today and I could not believe my eyes, so I stepped off and on again, and yes, surely enough the same numbers appeared - I am 10st 9lb!!!

I am 24, 5'6 and I would say I am an athletic build, not skinny, not big, just normal. I always keep active and fit, and when I am not in training I am just under 10st. When training for a couple of halfs my weight did go up to about 10st 6, but 10st 9 is just crazy.

I have been marathon training for 4 months, the past 2 have been pretty intense, I ran a PB at Silverstone 1.38.05 so my fitness levels are where I want them to be, I eat well, I dont over compensae for long runs I just make sure I eat enough to not compromise my efficiency in training. But perhaps I am eating too much??? Even though I eat better than any one I know!

Has any one else experienced weigh gain to this extent? I am nearly 1st heavier than when I dont train, the heaviest I have ever been?? I have ran 4 lots of 20 miles now, and train 5-6 days per week. I am trying to do everything carefully and gutted about this?

Can any one suggest any ways to drop these extra pounds (6lb) ideally before 21st April, without starving myself so I cant train well, or should I just pretend I didnt see that today?

If your training is going well and you are running PBs I wouldn't even think about trying to lose weight in the next few weeks before your marathon. You could end up really compromising your training and feeling really tired and exhausted.

You might find that if you weigh yourself in a few days, you will have lost a few pounds. I have found that the day after a long run, my weight is sometimes a couple of pounds more than usual. It then returns to normal within a day or two. Apparently this is quite common.

Okey doke. Ill just watch what im doing a little more carefully over the next two weeks and see if it's just my body or if I have been aiding the gain. I was hoping to be a little lighter on my feet to help my speed but hey ho !

Are your clothes tighter than usual? If not, it's probably not fat gain. I've been marathon training too and I haven't gained weight, but I haven't lost any either despite running up to 70 miles a week. But for the same weight I have noticed that my clothes are a shade looser, and my stomach is flatter and more toned.

10st 6 to 10st 9 is prob within the error of the scales isn't it (only 2%)? I've had my weight vary by much more than that within a day depending on what I eat when I weigh etc.. I lose 5 or 6 lbs on a long run just in water - put it all back on by the evening after drinkning a lot.

I tested my electronic scales with a heavy box - they were very precise but not accurate between days (a good 1-1.5% out between days but bang on with repetitive weighings).

I very rarely weigh myself - prefering just to go off what I look like and tightness of clothes. Since training for the marathon my clothes fit better and there is def less fat around ... I shocked myself to bits when I got on some scales last week and I am the heaviest I have ever been by half a stone!!

Vicky - That's made me feel a whole lot better. I gues the next 3/4 weeks are optimal, so I have taken the decision lo log everything to ensure I am doing it properly, and if I am still a heffer after this marathon I am never doing another one lol! (not) x

I am 3 Ibs heavier with the step-up in training (for a half-marathon) and all my clothes are loose.... the body retains water to carry out micro-muscle damage repair so I figure thats the bulk of the weight gain.

I was soooo relieved when I read this thread....I've nearly doubled my monthly mileage over the last 6 months and put on half a stone even though I watch very carefully what I eat. But I'm deffo getting quicker and my clothes still feel good so I've just taken the batteries out of the scales....sod em

Part of the point of marathon training is to get your body to store carbs in your muscles to use as fuel during the race. With the glycogen is stored water which is obviously heavy. That is why you will notice you pile weight on during a taper. But it's mostly water weight.

On the other hand, if your clothes actually feel tight you could be overdoing it on the calories. That's hat I tend to do. Running gives me a huge appetite which I feel justified in indulging and boom!

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